47 m Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the phets, and your fathers killed them. pro 48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. 49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute. 50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this genera tion; n 51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. 52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye enter not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye * hindered. 53 And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and prophets. Had they done that faithfully, they would have prepared men to receive Christ and his doctrine; but by their corrupt and carnal interpretation they wholly took away the key of knowledge, kept shut, instead of opening, the sacred volume, of which they professed to be the expounders, and thus entered not into the kingdom of heaven themselves, and hindered those that were entering, by their false expositions of those scriptures especially which related to the Messiah. This is the crime of the Jewish Rabbins, or expositors of the law, this day. to Verse 49. Said the wisdom of God, &c. -In the parallel place in St. Matthew, our Lord speaks in his own person, "Behold, I sent unto you," &c. He must here therefore style himself the wisdom of God; or, if this phrase is a periphrasis for the wise God, we have a direct assumption of divinity. See the note on Matt. xxiii. 34. Verses 50, 51. That the blood, &c.—jections, by perverting what he had said See the notes on Matt. xxiii. 35, 36. Verse 52. The key of knowledge.—Those who were made doctors of the law had a key given to them at their ordination or appointment, which they always afterwards wore as a badge of their office. Thus emblematically did they profess to open the true meaning of the law and the Verse 53. To provoke him to speak.— By captious questions, by vehement ob already, and, no doubt, by railing language. Their object was to throw him off his guard, to incite him aroσToμarige, to speak without premeditation or caution; lying in wait like beasts of prey, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, being ready to spring upon any unguarded word, and seize it, that they might the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: 54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him. CHAPTER XII. 1 Christ preacheth to his disciples to avoid hypocrisy, and fearfulness in publishing his doctrine: 13 warneth the people to beware of covetousness, by the parable of the rich man who set up greater barns. 22 We must not be over careful of earthly things, 31 but seek the kingdom of God, 33 give alms, 36 be ready at a knock to open to our Lord whensoever he cometh. 41 Christ's ministers are to see to their charge, 49 and look for persecution. 54 The people must take this time of grace, 58 because it is a fearful thing to die without reconciliation. 1 IN the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. a Matt. xvi. 6. have to accuse him, and put him to death. But our Lord had a perfect self-command; and as his wisdom confounded, so his prudence baffled, all his enemies, and that without any sacrifice of ministerial fideli. ty. The style of St. Luke, in these last verses, is greatly to be admired. Vigour, fitness of metaphor, and graphic power, are here all united. The scene is brought before us in the most lively manner, and a painter might find a noble subject in the calm reproving attitude of our Lord, and in the cunning malignity of the group of Pharisees, who vehemently urged him, to provoke him to speak unadvisedly, lying in wait, eagerly watching the success of every manœuvre. CHAPTER XII. Verse 1. Unto his disciples first of all.-Whether the Pharisees mentioned in the preceding chapter were present on this occasion, or being disappointed had retired, does not appear. The multitude, however, had increased; and having witnessed his triumph over his opponents, they so crowd around him to get near to catch his words, that they trod upon each other. To them, however, he did not address himself, but, as his manner frequently was, to his disciples. So he delivered the sermon on the mount, and other discourses; which explains why there should be passages in them of general application, and others applicable to disciples only. Which is hypocrisy.-On other occasions our Lord had cautioned his disciples against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees generally; here against the leaven of the Pharisees in particular, which he declares to be hypocrisy. They covered themselves as with a mask; they personated, as the word imports, characters which they were not; they affected devotion, but were without its spirit; religious zeal, but it was for their own peculiarities, not for God's honour; ostentatious almsgiving, without pity for the poor; and sanctity, without moral honesty. This corrupting leaven of hypocrisy, the disciples of Christ are cautioned against. It is therefore enjoined upon us to be perfectly HONEST in matters of religion, to turn with all our HEARTs to God, and to follow our Saviour in all INTEGRITY of purpose and practice; not indeed, as some would say, to avoid all professions of entire devotedness to him, b 2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. 3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. 4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered c Matt. x. 28. b Matt. x. 26. lest we should fall into hypocrisy, but keeping up the heart to that profession, which as Christians we are bound to make, that we may be always before God what we appear before men. The assumption of any particular virtue to carry a point of selfishness either of opinion, honour, or interest, is a violation of truth which falls under this condemnation of hypocrisy. All approaches to this worst of vices ought to be guarded against, because, as leaven, its inevitable tendency is to spread over and infect the whole character. This caution is enforced by the most solemn considerations. What is covered shall be revealed, every hypocrite shall be unmasked; what is spoken in darkness by hypocrites, banded together to accomplish their designs, shall be heard in the light; and what is whispered in the ear, even in closets, for greater secrecy, shall be proclaimed upon the house tops; the tops of buildings being used for declaring public tidings or proclaiming laws. This revelation of hypocritical characters, and insidious designs, often takes place on earth, to the shame and confusion of the guilty; but the ultimate reference of the words is to the day of judgment. Then God shall judge "the secrets of men's hearts;" and *See Matt. x. 29. "every secret thing" shall be brought into light and manifestation. The hypocrisy of religious persecutors of all ages shall be then especially exposed and punished. See the note on Matt. x. 27. Verse 4. Be not afraid of them that kill the body.—See the note on Matt. x. 28. Verse 6. Two farthings.-The acσapi, or farthing, was a brass coin of the value of one-tenth of a denarius or Roman penny, consequently equal to about three farthings of our money. In the parallel passage in Matthew it is, "And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father." Here the same words in substance are spoken on a different occasion, and the expression is beautifuly varied,— and not one of them is forgotten before God. The wants, dangers, and true relations of every creature, however small, are always remembered by God, who regulates his government of all things accordinglynothing is FORGOTTEN as to time, place, or order. Could the perfection of government be more strongly expressed? Could a stronger ground of confidence in God be laid, to encourage the trust of those who are of more value than many sparrows? Verse 7. But even the very hairs of your head. See the note on Matt. x. 30. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. 8 d Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: d Matt. x. 32; 2 Tim. ii. 12. Verse 8. Confess me before men.-See the note on Matt. x. 32. To which may be added, that to confess Christ includes the following particulars:-1. Public union with his church, so that we bear his name. 2. Regular participation of the Lord's supper, by which " we show forth his death until he come;" that is, not only declare the historical fact, but confess our trust in it as the grand sacrifice for sin. 3. Regular attendance, when able, upon public worship, especially upon the Christian sabbath, which is "the Lord's day," the day on which his praises are celebrated by the church universal, and his gospel proclaimed in their assemblies. 4. Submitting to reproach, loss, and suffering, when we might avoid them by complying with something contrary to the will of Christ, or ceasing to do what he has enjoined. This is to confess Christ before men, because it is a most unequivocal declaration that we prefer obeying him with cheerful affection to any immediate interest of our own. 5. To confess Christ is to show, without affectation or constraint, by the spirit and character of our social conversation, and habitual conduct, that we have a constant respect to his glory and the laws of his religion, that we delight in them, that we have given up ourselves to their influence, and that we walk as in the presence of our Master. To all such persons Christ promises a public acknowledgment before the angels of God, referring, no doubt, to his second coming. This acknowledgment will, doubtless, be a solemn act in the presence of the assembled angels, that all orders of intelligent holy beings may know the grounds of the divine procedure at that great day,-a circumstance which will minister more than we can conceive to their instruction, and perhaps future safety; since the wonderful discoveries of good and evil which that day will make, and the rewards and punishments of infinite variety which will be assigned, will form such a manifestation of God, in his government of creatures, as has never before taken place, and must be remembered with awe and joy to all eternity. But previous to the final act of acknowledgment before the throne, there will be a distinguishing recognition. The angels of God will be the instruments of gathering together the elect from the four winds of heaven; they rise first, so that they are thus acknowledged to be the “dead in Christ," them that "sleep in Jesus,” before the angels on that occasion become their willing and joyful ministers. On the other hand, to deny Christ, as it is spoken of those who profess to be his disciples, must include, 1. Open apostasy from his religion; or, 2. The neglect of all those things by which Christ is confessed, as public worship and receiving the sacrament of the Lord's supper; or, 3. A denying him "in works," that is, throwing off his authority in our conversation and conduct, so as not to be habitually controlled by it; or, 4. A cowardly desertion of duty to avoid reproach, loss, or suffering; for then we deny Christ by acting as though we belonged to another master-; or, 5. Hearing his truth and religion assaulted, and defamed, in guilty silence. All such persons would give worlds, indeed, to be acknowledged to be Christ's disciples, in that great day of final decision to which he refers; but they shall be denied and rejected. Let the undecided meditate on this solemn subject. 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. 10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. 11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: 12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. 13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of e Matt. x. 19. Verse 11. Magistrates and powers.— Rulers of every rank, and ecovσias, persons having authority over others. See the note on Matt. x. 19. Verses 13, 14. Master, speak to my brother, &c.-Here Christ was applied to as an arbitrator in a civil cause, or, in other words, to assume the judicial function. This he promptly declines. He had neither been appointed to it by human authority, to which, in such cases, he paid all respect, nor was it any part of the office assigned him by immediate appointment from God. Who made me a judge and divider over you? The division of inheritances, of which the first-born had a right to a double share, but no more, when it could not be satisfactorily settled among brethren and relatives, was referred to the council of three judges, who either decided themselves, or appointed an arbitrator and divider; hence our Lord uses two terms, judge, dikaστns, and μegions, divider; the one meaning a publicly appointed judge, as one of the council of three; the other, the person appointed by them with full powers to make the partition. The latter is, however, understood by many as exegetical of the former. Nothing more strikingly shows that our Lord's kingdom was not to be of this world. Had he been an earthly king, there was no reason why he might not have filled the office of judge in civil matters. But he declines; not indeed from mere prudence, lest he should offend, or lest he should be too precipitate in setting up his claims, but from want of authority. He had no commission from man or God for these earthly offices; and it followed, therefore, that only in a spirit. ual sense and for spiritual ends was he invested with the authority which he possessed. From this instance we are not to infer that Christians are to decline to be umpires or arbitrators, to prevent suits at law by a more amicable and less expensive settlement of affairs; for had it been in that character only that our Lord had been applied to, he might probably have interposed. But he was asked to do, by virtue of his being a prophet, what belonged to the regular judicial office, and so implied an assumption of that civil authority which he uniformly disclaimed. Verse 15. Take heed, and beware of covetousness, &c.-Our Lord took occasion, from the request which had been just made, to guard against covetousness, and especially because of its tendency to |